Tanmaya Das explores the charm of an open-air theatrical play being staged in Delhi for the first time
As I entered the open-air theatre on the seventh floor of the Select Citywalk, a young bald man, wearing a black suit and trouser, exclaimed, “bullied” and “abused,” while performing on a tiny raised platform. In the corner, I noticed a small group of people standing and enjoying every element of the performance; I sat somewhere on the second row next to a lady in a white dress, who was saying, “Beautiful play.”
The ambience was excellent, and the small raised platform was surrounded by four artificial pillars that were beautifully decorated. The lovely lighting on the rooftop added beauty to my first open-air theatre experience in Delhi. Even though it was a little dim when I arrived because the performance had already begun, the reactions of the audience were vibrant.
The Laughter In Progress (LIP) service is a collection of a few short comic playlets presented by Theatrecian, which is recognised by the BBC4 as the most prolific youth theatre company. Due to the pandemic, theatres were shut, but the slow revival of the economy brought back some normalcy. Amidst the tough time, Theatrecian arranged zoom theatre for the actors. “One can always feel the emotions in live performances, the love that comes from the audience is something unique, and live theatre cannot be parallel to the digital format,” said Tathagata Chowdhury, from the Theatrecian.
The majority of the audience was young and middle-aged. The playlet consisted of six plays, each with a different theme inspired by a real-life event. The first play was To Be A Quizzer, in which the participant always responded to the next question, which was the answer to the former one, reflecting on how the same answers might lead to diverse interpretations. This performance reminded me of the stark contrast in how adulthood treats people at different times of their lives. In some way, all of us could feel relatable to the characters and the circumstances.
The second play was To Be A Delhihite, a silent play in which two women constantly compared their lifestyles in silence, ultimately spreading the message aloud, “In Delhi, size matters.” The play reflected amazing circumstances, such as one woman was picking up a small book to read, whereas another woman was taking out a gigantic encyclopaedia. Similarly, the comparison of a 'glass' of water to a 'jug' water demonstrates how Delhi residents constantly compare themselves to one another.
Oh Gurgawa! was the third play, and it highlighted how Gurgaon differs from Noida and Delhi. The plot drew a parallel idea between how we don't always receive what we desire in life and instead get surprised by something that happens out of context. “This is very true; Gurgaon is in a separate time zone,” one woman said, who was sitting behind me, to which another woman whispered, “Yes, I feel like we live in a different world.” “The one with the parallel universe in Oh Gurgawa had tickled my ribs,” Phoolkumari stated after the play.
Tinder was the fourth play, in which a man and a woman met on a dating app, each with a different level of comprehension, and the app was guiding them through their relationship. The play reminded that my friend had experienced the same and concluded that dating apps portray the characteristics of another person, but meeting that person makes you feel more intriguing since you get to know the true self. In that scenario, you can see how dating apps and AI can be used to manipulate people these days.
The fifth drama, As you Like It, was taken from David Ive’s, Sure Thing, demonstrated how various aspects help us in gaining different perspectives of life, only after a great deal of misinterpretation of various circumstances.
The last play, Hypnotist, Glutton, and Waitress, illustrated systematics double standards of society through several characters. The play began with a song, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, and with gluttony sitting a chair alongside the hypnotist, who showcased avarice and materialism along with ambition and aspirations in life. Similarly, the character of gluttony reflected how society put someone down in awful times; and the waitress represented aam janta, influenced by the two mediums. This piece was pertinent in today’s concept, where Aryan Khan, a scapegoat, is currently facing adversity, and the aam janta is protesting against him for no cause other than linking the issue to SSR’s death case. The drama concluded with a modified version of the song.
This play was one of my favourites since each character represented all facets of society in great detail. For example, the gluttony claimed that he was tormented and abused as a child for being too skinny, so to be a part of society, he began over-eating, and that led him to be a subject of ridicule. The hypnotist exaggerated the features of the distressed person, so the phrases, bullied and abused, were chosen. Similarly, the waitress showed the common citizen enjoy the magnification without acknowledging the consequences of their actions on the victim.
Throughout the performances, the audience applauded enthusiastically and laughed loudly. Around 9:30 pm, the show ended, and some of them left, while others stayed for brief interaction and discussion about the play. “All actors did brilliant jobs; I enjoyed watching theatre after a long time,” said Vidushi Singh from Delhi.